Serbia star Luka Jovic signs permanent Eintracht Frankfurt deal

Eintracht Frankfurt have been given a massive boost after successfully activating the purchase option for on-loan Benfica striker Luka Jovic.

Jovic has been in sensational form this season – scoring 25 goals in all competitions – and on Wednesday the Eagles announced that the Serbian star had signed a permanent deal with the club.

The 21-year-old has been a key part of Eintracht’s success in both the Bundesliga and the UEFA Europa League this term, and he has now penned a contract that will keep him in Germany until 2023.

Watch:Learn why Luka Jovic is so effective

Jovic’s two-year loan spell had been due to end this summer, and Eintracht CEO of sport Fredi Bobic said it was important that the club could convince the in-form attacker to extend his stay.

“Luka’s development with us has been very pleasing,” Bobic told the Eintracht website. “For us there was no doubt that we wanted to tie him firmly to the club. He’s a player with exceptional ability.”

Eintracht are currently fourth in the Bundesliga – well placed to qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League – and Jovic has got 17 of their 57 league goals. He has also weighed in with six assists in his 27 Bundesliga matches after linking up brilliantly with fellow attackers Sebastien Haller and Ante Rebic.

Jovic has netted eight times so far in this season’s Europa League, and will be hoping to score against his former club Benfica for the second week running on Thursday to help the Eagles reach the semi-finals.

The Serbia international, who was also on target in a friendly against Germany recently, arrived in Frankfurt as a 19-year-old in the summer of 2017.